“Roth Sheppard Architects designed an exquisitely beautiful office building for the Denver Art Museum. Our challenge was to design and build a tasteful, beautiful building to complement the gorgeous architectural extravagances of the Denver Art Museum’s Hamilton Building, the Clyfford Still Museum, and the Gio Ponti designed North Building on the museum campus. From the start, Roth Sheppard’s vision for us was an elegant office building. It’s original. It hums. And it’s a happy, collaborative workspace.”

— Cathey Mclain Finlon, Denver Art Museum Board of Trustees

While most of the Denver Art Museum’s buildings were designed as “protectors of art” – solid in their massing – the Bannock Administration Building is more open and transparent. A strong sense of connection between the inner workings of the DAM, passersby, guests, and volunteers is reinforced by the semi-transparent glass windows modulated in three shades of blue (inspired by the ripples formed when a sheer curtain billows in the breeze). The color blue was selected as it speaks to the idea of open and fluid space, transparency of operations, the Colorado sky, and research regarding the significance of blue light relative to our circadian rhythms and alertness.

The new building unites the museum departments under one roof, bringing more than 100 employees to the museum campus, including administrative staff, curators, and educators. Staff members visit the various museum buildings daily using the alley as their connecting link thus the need for a prominent staff entry on the alley and a more discreet public entry for invited guests on Bannock. The two entries are connected by a linear three-story atrium light well containing the main stair.